# When mold strikes



## Dr. Stogie Fresh (Nov 18, 2005)

There's mold and then there's mold. This is mold...



Doc


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## Cadillac (Feb 28, 2007)

Yikes!!

Funny thing is, go to Cuba and they'll just wipe it off with a paint brush and still try and sell it to you. I haven't seen anything that bad with white mold, but they had some boxes with green-bluish mold that they wiped off right in front of me.


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## DonnieW (Jul 2, 2008)

Perhaps its just that time of the year, but there certainly have been quite a few threads with folks experiencing mold issues.

What's the deal with those sticks? Surely not from the Doc's humidor.


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## newcigarz (Feb 11, 2007)

Yep, That's mold.


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## Gone Dave (Mar 30, 2008)

Cadillac said:


> Yikes!!
> 
> Funny thing is, go to Cuba and they'll just wipe it off with a paint brush and still try and sell it to you. I haven't seen anything that bad with white mold, but they had some boxes with green-bluish mold that they wiped off right in front of me.


Brush that shite off and smoke it...:ss 
If its inside it will burn.. 
You will know if you want to smoke it by second pull:w
This may not be a wise comment, check with your local laws first.
But I have not died, or have I??:mn


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## SmokinApe (Jun 20, 2007)

That looks like plume to me....


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## Dr. Stogie Fresh (Nov 18, 2005)

DonnieW said:


> What's the deal with those sticks? Surely not from the Doc's humidor.


Alas, I can't say if they were from Doc's humidor, but I can say this was a new humidor that had just been seasoned and put into service too soon. Should've known better, but storage space was a critical issue.

Interestingly, none of the other cigars in the humi have had any issues, just the Cuaba's.

Doc


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## Smoked (Apr 12, 2007)

Those are some great sticks too. What a shame.


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## DonnieW (Jul 2, 2008)

Dr. Stogie Fresh said:


> Alas, I can't say if they were from Doc's humidor, but I can say this was a new humidor that had just been seasoned and put into service too soon. Should've known better, but storage space was a critical issue.
> 
> Interestingly, none of the other cigars in the humi have had any issues, just the Cuaba's.
> 
> Doc


Maybe they were alerady ripe? Wouldn't be the first time I saw sticks that were a little damp, only to spawn mega-mold when placed in a humidor warmer+damper than where they came from.


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## Bax (Sep 12, 2007)

My last skiing trip didn't have the white stuff that deep!


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## Dr. Stogie Fresh (Nov 18, 2005)

DonnieW said:


> Maybe they were alerady ripe? Wouldn't be the first time I saw sticks that were a little damp, only to spawn mega-mold when placed in a humidor warmer+damper than where they came from.


You may be right about that. It certainly fits the scenario.

Doc


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## ucla695 (Jun 27, 2006)

Kinda looks like a winter wonderland, but with faux snow. Yikes.


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## shilala (Feb 1, 2008)

It's been a long while now, but someone once bombed me with yellow mushroom smokes.
They literally dripped. I'm thinking the RH might have been a bit high.


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## Darb85 (Jan 30, 2005)

NUH UH! its Plume! you just dont know cigars Sheesh!




That sucks dude, thats some of the worst mold ive seen, bummer.


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## tzaddi (Feb 24, 2007)

Interesting, since I am not a fan of spontaneous generation I have to wonder about the origins of the spores. In my experience, both in reading and practical I have come to understand that the vegetable glue (*tragacanth*) being used can become contaminated and once the conditions are "right" the population explosion takes place. Based on your photos, which by the way are excellent, I would point to the way the mold has followed the spiral edge of the wrapper, where you would find an bit more glue.

Just a thought. 

EDIT: Reference:


> The US Department of Agriculture ran a research study on what caused cigars to mold. They were interested in the fact that the usual symptom was a concentration at the head of cigars. Veins and other elevated portions were the next most commonly affected spots on the wrappers, though in some cases, spots appeared at random over entire wrappers. The suspected source was the gum tragacanth the cigar rollers used to seal the caps. This natural product of the tragacanth tree is the traditional gum of choice, because it is taste and odor free, and works well as a cap sealant.


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## Sagellih (Feb 12, 2008)

Don't let a good thing go to waste!!!!

Dust it off and smoke it already!:ss:ss


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## Mikes (Apr 6, 2004)

Leave it on there and smoke it then enjoy the visuals lol.....:w Sorry about the mold man


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## Dr. Stogie Fresh (Nov 18, 2005)

tzaddi said:


> Interesting, since I am not a fan of spontaneous generation I have to wonder about the origins of the spores. In my experience, both in reading and practical I have come to understand that the vegetable glue (*tragacanth*) being used can become contaminated and once the conditions are "right" the population explosion takes place. Based on your photos, which by the way are excellent, I would point to the way the mold has followed the spiral edge of the wrapper, where you would find an bit more glue.
> 
> Just a thought.
> 
> EDIT: Reference:


Very interesting thoughts. I have thought the same myself after looking at these photos. In the photos below, you can see the build up of glue in several places and the beginning of mold spots. In many cases, the glue has been applied so thinly that you really can't tell if it could serve as the base for the development of mold. But in the photos below, you can definitely see a connection with the gum and mold growth.



















Doc


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## mtb996 (Apr 5, 2006)

SmokinApe said:


> That looks like plume to me....


:r beat me to it :r


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## Dr. Stogie Fresh (Nov 18, 2005)

tzaddi said:


> Interesting, since I am not a fan of spontaneous generation I have to wonder about the origins of the spores. In my experience, both in reading and practical I have come to understand that the vegetable glue (*tragacanth*) being used can become contaminated and once the conditions are "right" the population explosion takes place. Based on your photos, which by the way are excellent, I would point to the way the mold has followed the spiral edge of the wrapper, where you would find an bit more glue.
> 
> Just a thought.
> 
> EDIT: Reference:


While most mold growth does occur on the wrapper, there is certainly enough evidence to show that it occurs on the foot of the cigar and, thus, the filler.

Doc


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## jamesb3 (Jan 29, 2008)

Have been lucky so far that I have not had any major mold problems like that. Have run into a spot here and there on a couple occasions, but was told by people just to wipe of small spots if that is all it is.


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## M1903A1 (Jun 7, 2006)

Are certain kinds of wrapper more prone than others?

First cigar I ever had mold issues with was, ironically, a Cuaba. Today I was reshuffling my humi and came across two Los Statos with some mold traces on the upper quarter, above the band. No others appeared affected.


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## BengalMan (Aug 13, 2007)

Ouch! Bad day in Cuban paradise.


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## beamish (Jan 10, 2007)

Dr. Stogie Fresh said:


> While most mold growth does occur on the wrapper, there is certainly enough evidence to show that it occurs on the foot of the cigar and, thus, the filler.
> 
> Doc


If their is evidence on the outside of the stick,what are the chances that it is inside the stick? short of cutting it open I guess its just a crapshoot...


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## tzaddi (Feb 24, 2007)

Time to bring this thread back into the light of day.

Dr. Stogie Fresh the OP started a good discussion here.


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## d_day (Aug 24, 2008)

Good bump. I was actually looking for the quote about the gum earlier today.


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